10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.
10:2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.
10:3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
10:4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,
10:5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist.
10:6 His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
10:7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves.
10:8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.
10:9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
10:10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
10:11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.
10:12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
10:13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.
10:14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
10:15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.
10:16 Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless.
10:17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”
10:18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.
10:19 “Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”
10:20 So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come;
10:21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.
10:1 In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the word was true and concerning a great distress. And he understood the word and had an understanding of the vision.
10:2 In those days I, Daniel, had been mourning for three full weeks.
10:3 I ate no desirable food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, until the three full weeks were completed.
10:4 And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the great river, that is, the Hiddekel,
10:5 I lifted up my eyes and I looked, and there was a certain man, clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with the fine gold of Uphaz.
10:6 His body also was like beryl, His face like the appearance of lightning, His eyes like torches of fire, His arms and His feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of His words like the sound of a multitude.
10:7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; instead, a great dread fell on them, and they fled to hide themselves.
10:8 Thus I was left alone and I saw this great vision; and no strength was left in me, but my color turned deathly pale; and I retained no strength.
10:9 Yet I heard the sound of His words; and when I heard the sound of His words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
10:10 And at that moment a hand touched me and sent me trembling on my knees and the palms of my hands.
10:11 And he said to me, Daniel, man of preciousness, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand in your place, for I have now been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.
10:12 And he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand this matter and to afflict yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days; but now Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I remained there alone with the kings of Persia.
10:14 Thus I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, yet the vision pertains to something many days from now.
10:15 And when he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face to the ground and was dumb.
10:16 And at that moment one who resembled the sons of men touched my lips; and I opened my mouth and spoke, and I said to him who stood before me, Sir, because of the vision my anguish has turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.
10:17 For how can such a servant of my lord speak with such as my lord? For as for me, just now there is no strength in me, nor has there been breath left in me.
10:18 Then the one who was in appearance like a man touched me again and strengthened me;
10:19 And he said, Do not be afraid, man of preciousness. Peace to you. Be strong, yes, be strong. And when he spoke to me, I received strength and said, Speak, sir, for you have strengthened me.
10:20 Then he said, Do you know why I have come to you? And now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia; so I go forth, and the prince of Javan is now about to come.
10:21 However I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who holds strongly with me against these ones except Michael your prince.